Intimately Awkward
by tenzins
Summary: Walking in on others intimate moments can sometimes be very awkward. Mostly Kataang, Maiko & Sukka, but others on request.
1. Chapter 1: Sokka Wandering

**Title: **Intimately Awkward  
**Rating: **T, for future... just in case.  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, or the root idea of this.  
**Summary: **Walking in on others intimate moments could sometimes be very awkward. Cannon pairings, unless others are requested.

**A/N: **I hate awkward moments. Don't you? But, well, I always end up writing them and then working them out with humor and making myself laugh. I came up with this idea not long ago, and I wanted to share it. I didn't then, but I am now as I have a couple written and feel more confident about it. ha. Not all of the oneshots are... long. Some of them are shorter than others, and it's because you can't have too much build up or aftermath. Each of these will take place a different times in the future of Avatar, and I'll clarify at the beginning of the chapter so you know.

Like this one; It doesn't take place very long after the finale.

_

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__Left, right, left, right, left…_

Sokka stopped his walking when he ran into a wall, and he rubbed his head. He was trying to remember his way to his room in the Fire Palace. It was proving harder than normal for some reason, and he'd spent over ten minutes wandering the halls. It wasn't that he really minded though. It gave him some time alone, away from the meetings and his constantly tired looking companions. Everyone seemed at their wits end with countless generals and megalomaniacs that showed up. Especially Aang.

_Right, left, right, left, right, left._

Sokka continued his walking, watching his feet as they moved. He had noticed a certain pattern on the floor of the hallway where his room was located. He jumped when he almost ran into a servant, and he nodded at them as they passed. He heard a chattering noise behind him, and suddenly Momo was on his shoulder.

"Hey buddy. How are you?" Sokka said, and the lemur clicked at him. Sokka continued walking, making his way down the hallway. Momo watched as the hallways passed, and eventually Sokka found the pattern.

"Yes!" He said loudly, going down the hallway to the door he believed to be his and opening it.

He quietly opened the door when he heard a small laugh, and then someone groan. He walked down the small entryway, and peeked around the corner into the bed quarters. Momo mimicked his actions.

Lying horizontally on the bed was Aang, on his stomach with his face towards the wall. He had his shirt off, and his arms were at his sides. Sokka knew the young man was tired, and possibly more stressed than anyone else. So, Sokka reasoned, that explained the second part to the scene he was looking at.

Katara seemed to be sitting on Aang's hips, her hands moving over his shoulders and back. It occurred to Sokka that she was giving the Avatar a massage, and he felt a smile creep onto his features. There was a small part of him that wanted to barge in and demand to know why Katara had to be in her under dressings to give someone a massage, but he held himself back.

"Does that feel better?"

There was a small groan from Aang, and then some indistinct mumbling. Momo's ears perked as he heard Aang speak. Katara then pulled water to her hands, and began moving the water over Aang's scar. She then moved the water over his back and arms, letting the water sooth Aang's muscles. Sokka swallowed. He knew he should have left the second he walked in, but this was… interesting. It was intimate, but he couldn't bring himself to leave.

Katara's hair created a curtain around her face as she bent down to kiss Aang's shoulders. There was an appreciative sigh from the Avatar, and Sokka knew it was his time to leave. He carefully edged back into the entryway, when he heard someone begin to speak.

"Sokka."

He froze at Katara's voice, and he thought about pretending to have disappeared. Then he remembered how Katara had snapped at Toph earlier, and how little she seemed to sleep, and he put his head back around the corner. His sister was looking up at him, her fingers gently massaging Aang's head. It seemed the young boy was falling asleep.

"Yes, Katara?" He asked as she moved off Aang's hips to stand on her knees on the bed. She gently picked him up and laid him in the center of the bed where the covers were pulled down. She pulled the covers up around him, then got off the bed to walk up to her brother.

"How long were you there?" She asked, and he could see the protectiveness in her eyes.

"Not that long." He said, scratching his head. Katara nodded.

"Your room is across the hall, and two doors down on the left." Katara said as she pushed her brother out of the room. He stood in front of the door for a moment, before turning around.

"And your room is across the hall and one door up on the right."

The door cracked open a bit, and Katara smirked at her brother.

"I know."

Sokka turned around, his jaw hanging open. He was about to start twitching and ranting when he felt Momo's claw on his head. He took a deep breath, far too tired to worry that his sister seemed to be sharing a bed with Aang.

He stopped himself from thinking any more, as sudden thoughts were filling his brain.

_How long had this been going on, what does she do besides massage his back and head?"_

He took a deep breath.

_Left, right, left right, left, right._

He was too tired for this.

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**A/N: **If you spent the time to read, please spend the short time to review. :) As a person, it makes you feel very very happy.

I'll post another chapter soon.

-hangingmardigrasbeads


	2. Chapter 2: Katara's Thirsty

**A/N: **Thank you all so much for the reviews and stuff on the first chapter of this. I have... 5 chapters of this typed, I think. I'd have to open to many document folders to find them, but they are there. And a lot of them don't connect. Well, actually, none of them do, and if they do, I'll let you know hah.

So, without much more to say, here is chapter two.

Meh, you can place this two, three... possibly four years after the end of the series.

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Katara rolled over in her shared bed, finding her legs too restless to fall to sleep. She was also dying of thirst, and she couldn't think with her body telling her to drink something. She eventually sat up, making sure that no cool air slipped under the warm covers. Her companion was in deep sleep, and she didn't want to wake him. They were in Ba Sing Se, with the rest of the group for a small reunion of sorts. They also wanted to celebrate that the peace talks with generals from all of the nations was over, and the world seemed to be in a strange calm.

She looked down at the man next to her, smiling. If she wasn't so thirsty, she'd curl up into his arms and fall right to sleep.

Getting up, she wrapped her parka around her body, wrapping her arms around her torso. She walked out into the hallway, making sure to keep her footfalls silent. Small, sleeping children were in various rooms with their parents, and Katara smiled again. Mai and Zuko had brought along their two-year-old daughter, who had a knack for hearing everything. Sokka and Suki had also brought along their child, an 8-month-old baby boy.

And Katara knew that if she woke either of those children up, their parents would not be happy.

She finally made her way into the kitchen of the house they were staying in, and she bended some water into a cup for herself. She tried to remember the last glass of water she had, but she found she couldn't. She ended up drinking three glasses before she felt her thirst was quenched.

She eventually made her way back down the hallway and towards the bedrooms. She was beginning to get sleepy, and she aimlessly wandered towards her room. She eventually came to a door, and pushed it open.

This was _not_ her room.

Lying on the bed, the sheets only covering up to their waists, were a very naked looking Zuko and Mai. Katara had to rub her eyes to comprehend what she was actually seeing, and then her eyes popped open and her mouth hung. She shut her eyes quickly, shutting the door as quickly and quietly as she could before she turned around and stared at the hallway. How and why she ended up on the wrong side of the hallway looking for her room, she wasn't sure. She quickly crossed the hallway, opening what she was sure was her door.

And when she saw her husband laying peacefully in their bed, she ran over.

"Aang. Aang!" She whispered loudly, straddling his waist and shaking his shoulders. He mumbled something, and then opened his eyes slightly.

"Katara?"

"I just saw Zuko… and Mai… and they were naked and I was in the kitchen-"

"You saw Zuko and Mai naked in the kitchen?"

"No, they were in their room, I was in the kitchen to get water and then I was walking back and I was tired so I walked into the wrong room and saw them naked in bed and there was a sheet over their bottoms, but they were naked and stretched out and-"

Katara stopped as she dropped her head to Aang's shoulder, burying her face there. Aang shook his head before wrapping his arms around his wife and covering them with the covers again. He then heard the telltale sound of a baby awoken from sleep, and he felt Katara stiffen.

He shook his head, knowing that in the morning this _might_ all make sense.

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**A/N: **I crack myself up sometimes... a lot... and this chapter happens to be one of those times. oh lorddy.

Reviews, as always and forever, are appreciated and encouraged.

-hangingmardigrasbeads 


	3. Chapter 3: Aang's Searching

**A/N: **So, thank you all very much for the kind reviews and such. I greatly appreciate everyone I get, and I just love hearing from you guys.

And, because I am in such a good mood at finally getting a chance to check my e-mails and such this morning after a very hectic first day of school, I felt like posting another one I have typed already. :)

**Disclaimer: **I do not own anything. Not even Tenzin. :)

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Aang sighed again as he made his way down another hallway, in search of his hiding son. He could have used Toph's kinetic senses, but he wasn't as good as her and usually found the wrong person. Besides, he didn't want to know what was going on in the various rooms of the house.

It was his fault, too. He'd accepted the challenge of hide-n-seek from his bored son Tenzin. Now, Aang regretted that decision. Sure, Katara needed to sleep and Tenzin had been trying to talk to her for over an hour, and maybe this was better than him practicing his airbending on the birds; but for all Aang knew, Tenzin was doing those things right now, while his father searched.

And, as he searched, Aang began to realize that a four year old had _infinite_ hiding places.

Stopping, he took a deep breath. His other mistake was taking up the offer of playing inside. The house was huge. The King of Omashu had offered them it, when the whole gang had decided that it was time to have a weekend together. Seeing as each couple now had kids, they couldn't just ride on Appa to a isolate forest and hang out. And Zuko was there, and his advisors were highly against their Fire Lord sleeping in the woods.

Shaking his head, he decided there should have been ground rules.

Like, maybe, no hiding on the second floor.

As the second floor was dedicated to _just_ bedrooms.

Aang opened another door, looking into the empty bedroom. There were so many, it seemed each person could have their own. This one looked just like the rest, and Aang didn't need to look to know that Tenzin wasn't in here.

He walked down the hallway again, deciding to sit and wait. He was lucky that Tenzin was still a kid, and had some impatience in him. Eventually, Tenzin would give up and come try to find Aang, resulting in a very amusing chase.

It was quiet for a while, and Aang found himself relaxing. He could hear someone out in the small garden, cooing at a child. He also heard Momo, probably looking through the trees for fruits and other animals to play with. He smiled as he heard someone say hello to Appa, and the bison groan in recognition.

Aang stood up again, deciding to continue on his lazy search for Tenzin. He went to the next door, pushing it open slowly. Again, the room was empty but it was evident that someone was sleeping in here. Maybe Toph, judging by the disarray of the sheets and floor.

Slowly, Aang moved across the hall and opened the next door.

He should have knocked.

He opened the door to see Suki, lying on her back on the bed, with Sokka sitting next to her. His eyes were open in wide amazement, and he looked ready to burst. Suki saw Aang first, and pulled her shirt back down over her stomach. Aang hadn't noticed that.

"Oh, sorry." He said, backing out the room quickly and shutting the door.

What had that been all about?

Deciding that Tenzin just wasn't on this floor, Aang moved away from the bedrooms. He walked around the corner and was immediately greeted by Tenzin's worried face.

"Daddy, why didn't you come find me?" The child asked, and Aang lifted him gently off the ground. He held Tenzin close to his body, knowing his son liked being physically close to people.

"I was, Tenzin, but you were hiding so well I couldn't find you." Aang said, rocking Tenzin as he walked.

"You saw Unkka Sokka and Aunt Suki didn't you?"

Aang looked down at his son, tilting his head in confusion. Tenzin leaned up, whispering in his fathers ear.

"I heard Aunt Suki say she had a bun in the oven. What does that mean?"

Aang began to laugh, and then realization dawned on him. He stopped where he was walking, before looking at Tenzin.

"I'm pretty sure you'll find out soon enough."

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**A/N: **Yes, I did just write a story with Tenzin in it. I was tired of trying to think of a kids name, and then I was like "WAIT! THE WRITERS DID THAT FOR ME!"

Reviews, as always, are wonderfully appreciated.

-hangingmardigrasbeads 


	4. Chapter 4: Suki's Grumpy

**A/N: **So, I know it's almost been a week for an update, but school started last week and now I'm sitting down to finally get this up here. I had this pre-typed, but I was far too lazy to upload and do this which I am doing right now... ha.

Anyway, thank you very much for the reviews on the last chapter. They all made me smile and I greatly appreciated them. I always do.

So, this is a product of my madness.

And it takes places... ehh, when they are still all teenagers. :P

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Suki wasn't in a very good mood. No, she happened to be in a horrible mood. Her hair was a mess, her makeup was flowing down her face, and her dress was sticking to her skin. She walked away from the beach of Kyoshi, and she could hear the steam coming off her head. She stopped when she was a good distance from the beach, shaking out her hair and taking off her gloves. She grabbed a tree leaf, rubbing her face off so she could see better. Running make up was not fun.

It all started with Aang suggesting they go swimming in the ocean. It was a hot day, and everyone seemed to need it. Katara was itching to get into some water, and so she said she'd tag along. Zuko was the only one who said he wasn't in the mood, and it seemed default that Mai stayed behind too.

"I'm not the beach type." She'd said in her monotone.

Suki wasn't supposed to go down to the beach, as she was training new girls, but she gave them a lunch break and then sprinted to the shore to join Toph in the sand. The earth bender was simply lying out in the sun, sighing and saying how wonderful the earth felt.

Suki didn't share the same sentiments.

She'd soon realized that swimming in the ocean was really code word for 'lets-have-a-epic-water-bending-fight'. Sokka _was_ swimming, but he was constantly getting thrown ashore as Aang and Katara fought in the water. Suki actually found it interesting, and told Toph what they were doing. The earth bender shrugged.

"It'll eventually turn into making out." She'd said before rolling over again.

It was at that point that Aang had dipped into the water, disappearing. Katara came to balance on her piece of ice, waiting for the Avatar to resurface. She was holding up some water around her, in a huge wave like pose. Suki didn't see what happened, but she'd bet money that Aang had come up behind Katara and surprised her, because suddenly the water was all over the beach and Sokka was once again sputtering and wondering how he'd gotten there.

And that was how Suki's predicament started.

It wasn't long after that when Suki realized she needed to get back to work and now her perfectly done up outfit was ruined.

All thanks to two lovebirds.

Suki suddenly realized why the Fire Lord had stayed behind.

She marched up the hill, making her way back into town. She ignored the looks she got from the shop keepers and small children. She just needed to focus on getting back to the training house and re-doing her makeup and hair. She skillfully ducked every person who looked like they wanted to talk to her. She was making her way up the hill when she remembered she'd left her makeup in the home she was sharing.

Groaning, she lifted her skirt and ran through the trees to the back entrance of the home. She sighed in relief that no one saw her, and she made her way up the stairs to grab her makeup.

She was walking down the hallway when she heard quiet talking and then a girl's laugh.

_A girl's laugh?_

Suki moved down the hall, following the sound of the laugh. When she came to the door that marked the entrance of the room, she listened carefully. She could hear talking, low mumbling behind the thick wooden door. She heard Zuko's laugh, and then footsteps. She was about to back away when the door opened to reveal a shirtless Zuko.

_Don't stare at his chest!_

She forced her eyes to meet his, and a blush rose on her face. She was about to speak when he did.

"Hey… Suki." He said, getting that awkward look to him. Suki lifted her hand, coughing.

"Hey Zuko, Mai. How are you both?"

Mai walked up behind Zuko, and Suki thanked the spirits she was wearing a shirt. She looked over the warrior, and then put her hand on Zuko's shoulder.

"Much better than you, I see."

Suki laughed nervously, knowing that in a normal situation she might have found that comment offensive.

"So, I guess I'll just be going on my way." Suki said in a hurry, turning away and moving to her bedroom. When she entered, she let out the breath she was holding.

"Spirits, what a day." She said, grabbing her makeup and nearly running back to the training house before anything else went wrong.

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**A/N: **As always, reviews would be appreciated. Oh, and don't hesitate to leave me your favorite part and/or aspect. So I can know what to do next time. :)

-hangingmardigrasbeads 


	5. Chapter 5: Zuko's Relaxed

**A/N: **Thanks a million for the amazing feedback on the last chapter and all the chapters before that. I don't know if I've said that on the other chapters, but it's more than lovely to get a review alert and see that people have reviewed past chapters and stuff. It's a love of mine, getting reviews on past chapters.

As usual, my original idea didn't work out and I ended up with this. Even though I wanted something else, I am glad with what was produced. The idea I kept typing out will most likely be used in a oneshot sometime in the future.

This takes place... hmm. Four or five years? I'd say Sokka is or is almost twenty. Placing this somewhere in the future just... didn't happen while writing so I just had to figure it out.

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The branches of the willow tree hung low towards the ground, creating a curtain for many fireflies to buzz through. The manmade creek lazily flowed along, the trickling of water over rocks echoing through the garden. Bushes lined paths, but that didn't mean you had to follow them. In fact, not many did. Various people were scattered about the garden; some sat near the koi pond, others sat on the grass near the creek, and a couple sat on a wood bench near the willow. There was a low hum of conversation floating in the air, with fits of giggles erupting every so often.

As another fit of giggles burst into the air, a man dressed in red robes stepped into the garden. From the entrance, he could see all but the people sitting near the willow. The bench they sat on was behind two bushes, and provided a small amount of privacy. He looked over to the koi pond to see the Avatar meditating in silence, his legs crossed and his back straight. Three women, two wearing green and one wearing red, sat near the creek and had what looked like a conversation going.

Zuko smiled from his position at the gate, finding the scene somehow calming. He was happy to see Mai, Suki, and Toph sitting near the creek, having what looked like to be an equal conversation. None of them looked awkward or forced, and Toph looked more relaxed than usual. He was happy to see that all of his friends were in the garden, enjoying a cooler than usual Fire Nation evening.

Moving his eyes over the garden, he decided to go see Sokka and Katara. He didn't want to interrupt the conversation by the creek, and Aang needed to meditate.

Walking down the path, Zuko absorbed the sounds of the garden. There was a bird, somewhere, singing a very soft and melodious tune. That, mixed with the sounds of voices and a suspicious set of giggles, let Zuko relax. He continued down the path, watching the fireflies dance in the willow.

He turned onto a path that led to the tree, and finally got a look at what Katara and Sokka were doing. That was when Zuko became aware of where the giggling was coming from. Sokka was holding his 5-month-old daughter, Pearl. Zuko found the name odd at first, as he didn't know where they had gotten it from. However, Katara and Aang quickly explained that on the night of the child's birth, the moon has been bright and round, resembling a pearl. Suki had insisted, and Sokka didn't resist.

Pearl giggled again as Katara made another silly face at the child. Her lips curled out and she crossed her eyes, and it seemed even Sokka had a hard time keeping back his laughter. Zuko was just far enough away that he couldn't hear their conversation, but the baby's giggles were loud and happy.

Zuko turned again, down a new path, and now he could only see Sokka's back. He slowed down as he neared the bench, and he could now hear bits and pieces of a quiet conversation.

"I'm going to get you." Katara said in a singsong voice. The baby squealed, and Zuko heard the sounds of a raspberry. He grinned as he neared, but stopped when Katara and the baby were in view.

Katara had a soft look on her face, as she always had around Pearl. Zuko, like everyone else, knew that Katara was great with children. She adored her niece, and always showered her with love. Now was no exception. She was planting a soft kiss to the child's forehead, and as she moved away, Pearl reached up and grabbed Katara's hair gently. Katara smiled at Pearl, before rubbing noses with the baby.

When Pearl let go of Katara's hair, the waterbender sat up straight and stretched her back. She still hadn't seen Zuko, and he remained where he was. He watched as Katara moved over next to Sokka, leaning her head on his shoulder and squeezing his side.

"She's the cutest." She said simply, and Sokka shook his head.

"You say that now, but when another baby comes alone, you'll say the same thing about it."

"No, I mean it Sokka. Pearl is going to be an amazing person someday."

There was silence, and Zuko decided to start to move away.

"She has amazing people to learn from. I mean, look at her family! The Avatar is her uncle… in-law or something!"

Even though he was trying to keep himself unnoticed, Zuko couldn't help the laugh that passed across his lips. However, the siblings didn't seem to hear him. Their conversation had engrossed them, and anything else was just background noise.

Zuko felt a tug in his chest.

Maybe Aang was done meditating.

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**A/N: **So, as you can tell, this was more of a brotherly-sisterly moment. I've done the three major cannons, and I've wanted to write something with Katara and Sokka for a while, so this was produced in thirty minutes.

As always, reviews make my writing centered world spin 'round. Makes me forget I have 20 pages of history to read.

-hangingmardigrasbeads 


	6. Chapter 6: Mai's Bored

**A/N: **Thanks to those few who did review on the last chapter. They made me smile, yet again. Reviews always make me smile. I am sorry for taking such a while to update this one. I had some difficulity with it. First, Mai didn't do what I wanted, and then Sokka popped up and nothing went right. Sometimes my fingers have minds of their owns.

Anyway...

This takes place... whenever you imagine Aang being a least a head taller than Katara... Because I imagine him looking a little more mature... ha.

All mistakes are my own.

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Mai was bored.

She sat near the fire, wondering how life could get this boring. She also wondered (again) why she was here, at the Western Air Temple. It wasn't like she had any _real_ interest in it, though she could honestly say it was a beautiful site. However, the sentiment didn't last long.

Now she sat alone, while Zuko and Sokka played some warrior game in the halls, Toph did her earth bender thing, Suki brushed and cleaned Appa, and Aang and Katara did Spirit's know what. Mai couldn't really care what they were all doing, because she knew that even if they were with her, she'd still be bored.

Oh. So. Bored.

She got up, deciding that sitting wasn't going to help her boredom. She'd heard from Toph that some of the rooms had secret passages, and there was even a secret room somewhere. Toph had been the one to find it (obviously) so Mai decided to go search for it. Getting lost sounded a lot more fun than staring at a fire.

She entered her own room, running her hands along the walls to feel for loose bricks. When she didn't feel any, she moved down the hall to a room she knew to be empty. She was a little surprised when she found a door behind a tapestry. She cautiously began to follow the corridor, and found herself at another door. When she pushed it open, she walked into a room lit only by a large window in the ceiling. She could see the white clouds pass overhead, and Momo fly by. She looked around the room, straining her eyes to see. She saw a door on the other side, and kept moving.

She found more and more rooms than she thought possible in her wanderings. She bumped into Toph once, and the earth bender had told the way to the secret room. It wasn't as easy as Toph had said, and now Mai had a feeling she was lost.

_But lost is far better than bored._

She pushed on, feeling a brief sense of relief when she found something Toph had described. She turned to the left, and pushed the wall. She walked into the room, blinking to get her eyes adjusted to the sudden darkness. Only one torch lit the room, and she walked over to it. She held the torch up, and wrinkled her nose.

She'd found the secret room.

She blinked.

Now what?

Setting the torch back into its holder, she walked out the door she came in through, and decided to take a different route. Going straight, she took every turn she knew would get her lost, and ended up in a hall that wasn't familiar. She smiled to herself, her boredom dissipated. She pushed on each door in the hallway, opening it slightly. When she came to the last door, she decided that she'd kick it down.

And she felt much better afterward.

She had a full smile on her face as she walked up some stairs and came to another hallway. This one had a little more light than the last, and she could only guess she was getting closer to the surface. She turned down another hallway, and was surprised to find herself where she began.

Near the fire.

Her smile slipped from her face, and she crossed her arms. It was quiet now, and she couldn't hear Suki talking to Appa. In fact, even Appa was gone. It seemed everyone had something to do.

Kicking a rock, Mai walked towards the fountain. She was going to kick the rock again when something caught her eye.

Two people lounged against the wall of the fountain. The girl was lying on her back, her head in her companions lap. He was resting his back against the wall, with one of his hands holding hers and the other in her hair. Mai quietly moved so she could see past the water, and saw the pair clearly.

"Katara?"

Aang looked down at her, his hand moving through her hair to rest on her forehead. Katara pulled his hand down and kissed his palm.

"Yes?" She whispered quietly, her eyes staying closed.

Aang seemed to pause, and he smiled as Katara kissed his palm again. Mai made a funny face. That was when she realized she was eavesdropping on the pair.

"I love you."

Mai saw Katara smile, and kiss the tattoo on Aang's hand. Before things could get ultra mushy, Mai twisted herself around and nearly ran over to the fire. She sat down in a huff, scaring Momo who dozed on a pack. She took a deep breath, and her face fell back to normal. Her nose twitched involuntarily.

Mai was bored.

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**A/N: **Reviews are wonderfully appreciated. :)


	7. Chapter 7: Iroh's Happy

**A/N: **Okay, I'm very sorry for not updating this for so long. I'm just going to say that I don't really write these stories. The characters write them. And they usually don't do what I want them to do. And so I've been fighting this awful block I've had. And I literally just remembered I had this all typed and somewhat ready to go. Call me crazy.

Okay, so this one is just... my love of Iroh. He's one of my most beloved characters of all time. So, this chapter was fun to write.

All mistakes are my own.

* * *

Iroh smiled to himself as he walked out of the kitchen of his teashop for just a moment. There was a lull in costumers, and he felt at peace for a second. He looked over at where Suki stood, her hair moving as she spoke with a costumer. As the last costumer in the shop left, Iroh gestured to Suki he was going for a walk. She nodded at him with a smile, moving through the teashop to the front area. He listened to the sounds of the water from nearby, and took in the environment. With a smile, he took of his apron and laid it down near the door before setting out on a walk.

His feet took him wherever they wanted, and he followed no real path. There was some rhyme or reason to where he was going, and he found he enjoyed that. Soon, he found himself in the thick of people and the crowd, and he smiled at all who passed. Many people knew him, and some simply smiled at his happy demeanor.

Eventually, he found the heart of the crowd; a small street performance was occurring and it was quite good. Iroh stop and stayed for a while, watching the performance before moving away to follow another path. He walked through the market, looking at the vendors there. His feet pulled him over to where two young children sat, selling paper flowers. He bought three from them, and he smiled as he walked away.

Up the street, another crowd had formed, this one around another performer. Iroh paused for a moment, surveying the crowd. His eyes landed on a young couple, their hands clasped and their bodies close. He smiled when he realized it was Aang and Katara, out on a similar walk to his own. When Katara saw him, she smiled his way and Iroh simply winked back. It caused the young waterbender to smile and move slightly closer to her companion.

Before he could cause any more embarrassment on either of their parts, he moved on again. He loved the feeling of being carefree in the city. There was a something special about today though. It might have been the sunshine that was touching everything in reach. Or it could have been the slight breeze that smelled like flowers and rain.

Or, Iroh laughed to himself, it could have just been the great mood he'd been in all day.

Making his way past a small garden area, Iroh noticed another sight that padded his mood. Up ahead, stopped at a fruit stand, Mai and Zuko were standing. They stood similar to Katara and Aang, with their hands clasped and their bodies close. However, this time, Iroh moved along before he was seen by the pair. Turning to his right, he ran right into a man carrying five cabbages in his arms.

"Oh, so sorry!" Iroh instantly said, and the man looked dejectedly at his soiled vegetables.

"My cabbages." The man said quietly. Iroh laughed awkwardly, noticing that he'd been spotted by his nephew and Mai. Iroh just smiled.

_So much for being surreptitious._

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So, if you didn't get that little joke I put in there... shame on you. Not really. Just... haha. I'm laughing at myself right now.

Reviews would be lovely. :)

-hangingmardigrasbeads


	8. Chapter 8: Zuko and Sokka are walking

Hey there! So, my internet was having some issues and was not working and then working, so I sat myself down on my internet-less laptop and started typing away at new stuff. Since it's Christmas Break, I have some time and a lot of creativity. Oh, and it doesn't hurt that I've recorded a whole bunch of Avatar since getting my new TV service and DVR. And oh my gosh, Cave of Two Loves is on.

As you can tell, I'm enjoying myself.

I wanna say this takes place... at least four years after the finale.

**All mistakes are my own.**

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The sun was beginning to set as Zuko walked back into the palace. He bore the remnants of a smile and the smell of fruit from the market. He walked slowly through the grounds, listening carefully to the sounds of the palace. He could just barely hear Momo off in the distance, chattering away. Zuko moved through the halls, his smile threatening at his lips again as he thought of his walk through town. He'd been cooped up in a war meeting all day, and on a whim had decided to take a walk. He found himself in a much better mood after visiting the city and having some peace.

Now, as he entered the hallways of the palace and made his way back to his quarters, he thought about sleep. Sleep sounded like a strange idea after the long day of talking with his military personnel. There was something about hotheaded generals that gave Zuko a headache.

Zuko almost jumped out of his skin when Momo landed on his shoulder, and he laughed at himself. He looked up at the lemur, which was curled around his neck.

"What do you want, Momo?" Zuko asked, and the animal made some noise. Zuko shrugged, slightly disrupting Momo's balance. Zuko found the quiet companionship comforting, as he knew Momo couldn't bug him with questions and riddles.

Zuko turned the corner, running into a servant. He apologized profusely, before moving along again. He wanted to get to his room without a run in with anyone. Especially someone that was going to chew his ear off like-

"Hey! Zuko!"

Zuko stopped short, his mind telling him to make a run for it. However, he decided to give Sokka the benefit of the doubt and wait for the warrior to catch up with him.

"Hello Sokka."

"Where did you go? You smell like mangoes."

Zuko sniffed quickly before shrugging. Momo clicked at him, and Zuko reached up to scratch behind his ear.

"I went for a walk."

"A walk? Alone? Someone could have killed you."

Zuko just shook his head at Sokka, finding his paranoia silly.

"Sokka, I was fine."

"Well, next time take someone with you. Like me. I'll always have your back."

Zuko smiled at Sokka.

"Thanks Sokka. That gives me comfort."

Sokka seemed to question the statement for a second, but stayed in step with the Firelord.

"So, how did things go today? I know there was some problems with doubts in the colonies…"

Zuko shrugged slightly.

"There is… indecision about how to deal with them. Politics and war generals don't mix." Sokka nodded, before shrugging nonchalantly.

"Aang wasn't here? You know he's good at getting compromises." Sokka said, and Zuko shook his head.

"I could not find Aang anywhere. Katara either."

Sokka raised an eyebrow at Zuko's statement, shaking his head. He was quiet for a second before his eyes widened and he turned to Zuko.

"Have you had a fruit tart from the kitchen? They are amazing!"

Zuko shook his head, his eyes threatening to roll.

"No, seriously Zuko. It was-"

Both boys turned the corner, and stopped in their tracks. Momo looked up, and stared ahead. Zuko felt his good mood shattering, and his day clicked together. Up in front of him, playing some sort of strange game of tag in the hallway were Katara and Aang. Aang had caught Katara, and yelling "get a room" crossed Zuko's mind. Before Sokka moved, Zuko grabbed his shirt and pulled him the opposite direction.

Both boys were quiet as they walked down the hall, both staring straight ahead. Zuko cleared his throat, stopping for a moment. Sokka followed suit.

"You were saying something about a fruit tart?"

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I am in a "Let's put Sokka and Zuko in an awkward situation... together!" so yeah. :)

I hope you enjoyed!

Reviews are always appreciated and encouraged.

-hangingmardigrasbeads


	9. Chapter 9: Aang's Meditating

I would like to apologize for not updating this for a while. I had this typed in my documents for... months now and I forgot. Plus, I didn't have my computer for about four months there, so you can't blame me for that. Other than that, I am sorry for this taking so long.

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed thus far! It means a lot!

This has no time stamp, it just floats.

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Aang paused, mid-step, his bare foot an inch above the ground. His mouth twitched. He almost smiled.

The campsite was empty. Not even Momo was hanging around. The young Avatar almost broke composure.

He moved quietly through the remaining trees and into the clearing, his toes wiggling in the grass. He felt the breeze move his pants. It was warm, and the breeze allowed relief. And, knowing everyone else, he had a feeling they were in the water nearby, cooling off.

Aang sat down, looking around. He would usually follow his companions and join them in the water. However, today he was in the mood to sit alone and relax. He had scurried off into the forest to get some quiet, as everyone was complaining about the heat. Even Mai, who rarely complained.

Or spoke, for that matter.

Aang let himself fall backwards into the grass. He loved the feeling of the blades on his skin, and how it tickled certain areas. He let his hands take hold of the grass, but he didn't pull it out.

He didn't move for a while. His eyes followed the clouds over his head, his mind wandering to places in the past. He could clearly remember the feeling of falling through a cloud, the water soaking his clothes. Now, as he lay in the grass, he let that feeling cool his body and mind.

He became almost statue like, laying there on the ground. His breath came in slowly, and left his body through his nose. His diaphragm expanded with each breath, and soon was the only part of him moving. He shut his eyes after a while, and his ears began to pick up the sounds of his friends playing in the water. He could easily tell who was who, their voices distinct to his ears. He could clearly make out the sound of Sokka's laugh and Katara's shriek. Aang didn't have to be there to know they were having a quarrel.

There was something about the six of them travelling together that made Aang happy. It wasn't the easiest of things to do, especially with each of them being a celebrity in their own right. They hid out in forests and packed enough food to last them, so they didn't have to go into towns. They were lucky that no one had seen them flying in. Someone usually did. Aang's favorite part of travelling, though, was the quiet.

Which was why he'd left the group to get some.

His mind was wandering, as were his ears, and he could make out the sound of Momo nearby. The lemur was obviously looking for his owner, so Aang remained as quiet as possible. He heard the animal fly overhead. Then, it was quiet again.

Between the deep breathing, comfortable position on the ground, and the quiet, Aang began to nod off. His body became heavy, and he was somewhere in-between wide awake and asleep. The sounds in his ears became muddled, and the grass blades became a pillow. He was about to fall asleep when something shattered the silence.

Two bodies joined Aang in the camp, and a foot landed on his chest. He shot up in pain, yelling.

"Hey!" he yelled, looking up at the offending pair.

It was Sokka and Suki, obviously looking for some privacy as well. Aang glared at them, and Sokka took the hint. Grabbing Suki's hand, he pulled her through the rest of the camp and they disappeared into the forest. Aang sighed.

Laying back in the grass, he attempted to fall back to sleep. He tried to block out all sounds but when a couple suspicious sounds reached his ears…

Jumping to his feet, he decided to go see if Toph or Katara were still in the water.

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As always, reviews are appreciated. I will try to get another posted soon!

Thanks, again.

-hangingmardigrasbeads


	10. Chapter 10: Zuko's Lost

**A/N: **I apologize for the huge gaping hole in updates here. I have a wandering soul. And I also apologize for the shortness. I'm working on more.

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The dull humming of conversation left Zuko as he walked out of the room where countless 'high class socialites' stood, talking over their glasses and trays of food. He needed to get out of there for a couple minutes, to keep himself from snapping at the next person who wanted to ask him another boring question about something he wasn't in charge of. Or answering the ever present question of where the Avatar was.

Zuko didn't even know himself, and he wasn't in the mood to know. He'd suggested trying a supply closet to someone as a joke, and he was still worried that the young girl took him seriously.

He maneuvered through the hallways, avoiding any wandering soul. He eventually came to a hallway he rarely ventured down, and he studied the walls as if they were the most interesting view in the world. He stopped to look at a tapestry that wasn't hung correctly, and he made a mental note to tell one of the staff to fix it.

He continued on his way, trying to figure out how he'd become so lost. He thought about looking through the rooms, as he wasn't sure what floor he was on anymore, but he was afraid of his own joke about supply closets coming true. He wasn't in the mood for that. Not after the Avatar had ditched him.

Turning down a new hallway, Zuko stopped. He heard noises, but he wasn't sure what they were coming from. They were muffled sounds, and they slightly perturbed him. He followed them down the hall, and around more corners. As he came closer, he started to hear the Sokka like tone to them, and he paused mid step.

Did he really want to know?

…yes, yes he did.

He continued to follow the noises, but slowly now. When at last they were loud and clear, he peeked his head around the corner of the hall and frowned a bit.

It seemed Sokka and Suki were fighting.

Or, well… play fighting.

And Suki was winning.

And just as the sparring lovers seems to forget their fight and turn back into just plain lovers, Zuko quickly looked the other way and walked as fast as he could in the other direction.

And he didn't stop walking until he found his way back to the party.


End file.
